COLCHESTER, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College men's basketball team blew open a one-point game with a late 14-3 run to down Georgian Court (N.J.) University, 65-55, on Sunday during the second day of the Delta Hotel Doc Jacobs Tipoff Classic in the Ross Sports Center. In the early game, Assumption University bested Wilmington (Del.) University, 75-63, giving both Northeast-10 Conference squads in the Classic 2-0 marks during the weekend.

RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (2-0), Georgian Court (0-2)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Senior Patrick Gardner (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun/Nassau CC), 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 offensive rebounds, 6-for-13 field goals
• First-year Jacob Duniver (Fredericksburg, Va./Woodstock Academy), 9 points, 10 rebounds, 5 offensive rebounds, 3-for-6 three-pointers
• First-year Chuma Oyigbo (Stoughton, Mass./Redemption Christian [N.Y.] Academy), 8 points, 3 assists, 2 blocks
• First-year Nahshon Battle (Scotch Plains, N.J./Woodstock Academy), 8 points, 3-for-6 field goals
• Senior Jontai Williams (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Hayes), 6 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4-for-4 free throws
• Senior Jason Heter (Andover, N.J./Newton), 6 rebounds

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Sophomore DJ Alicea, 16 points
• Junior Shane Williams, 14 points, 7 rebounds, 4 offensive rebounds, 7-for-13 field goals

GAME FACTS

• Saint Michael's held a 44-43 rebounding edge while picking up 11 steals and five blocks.
• The Purple and Gold allowed its fewest points since a 65-53 win on Jan. 6, 2018, against American International College.
• This was the 36th iteration of the Doc Jacobs tournament since it debuted in 1975-76.
• The Purple Knights started 2-0 for the third consecutive season.
• Saint Michael's is now 2-0 all-time against Georgian Court, as the teams met for the first time since Nov. 10, 2013.

THE ACTION

• The teams played through six lead changes in the first half, including four in the opening 3:17 alone.
• Saint Michael's led 11-8 thanks to Heter's three-point play at 15:33 before claiming a 17-11 edge following junior Jalen Gorham's (York, Pa./MacDuffie School) two free throws with 9:55 to play. The six-point lead was the largest by either team in the half.
• Gorham broke another tie with a steal and bucket at 2:55, making it 24-22, before the Lions responded with a 7-1 spurt in a 56-second span, as Shane Williams' basket pushed the lead to 29-25 with 1:29 left.
• The Purple Knights responded with an 8-0 run over 1:10, as Duniver wrapped two three-pointers around a pair of Oyigbo free throws, including burying a triple from the corner just before the buzzer. The hosts took a 33-29 advantage into halftime.
• The only four lead swings of the second period occurred in the opening 2:56, with Saint Michael's turning a 36-35 deficit into a 43-36 lead in a matter of two minutes thanks to five Gardner points during an 8-0 run. Battle also knocked down a three.
• Georgian Court twice rallied within a point, including at 51-50 on Shane Williams' jumper at 7:29, but the hosts pulled away with their 14-3 run, taking a 12-point lead in the waning seconds. Junior Kasai Brown (Brooklyn, N.Y./Millbrook School) scored all five of his points in that time, and Gardner netted four while nabbing an offensive rebound and kicking to first-year Nic Button (Skaneateles, N.Y./Cheshire Academy) for a three-pointer.

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S GAME

• Saturday vs. Stonehill College, 3:30 p.m.
• The Skyhawks received votes toward the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) preseason national poll and are fifth in the D2SIDA East Region Media Poll.
• The Purple Knights will be supporting the College's Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts (MOVE) Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week food drive that day, accepting donations of non-perishable food items that will be donated to local food shelves. Fans will be admitted for free with three non-perishable food items.